The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-09
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
The Civil-Service Bill.


To the Editor Of the indianapolis Journal
The Sentinel of Monday has letter eriticisipg
the civil-service bill now before the Legislature
The writer chooses to keep concealed, but as he
represents the current objections ask brief
hearing for the other side. He declares himself
interested in 'true civil-service REFORM but this
bill is fraud, a delusion and snare" The
opponents of the bill in the House the other day,
one after another also declared themselves in
favor of civil-service reform, thereby admitting
the necessity of it to the State of Indiana; but
they. like this writer, were not in favor OF
this particular bill. These "true civil-servlce
reformers" always prefer some other way, but
never find that way. The Sentinel contributor
remarks that the bill is likely to pass the House
by party vote. This, if true, simply shows
that the party opposing is at its old practice OF
butting its head against stone wall. Indeed,
If he has not been msquoted, Mr.. Rice, the
chairman of their State committee, has said that
his party wanted it understood that in defeating
this bill they meant to slap the President in the
face They have had about everything the
President could give them in this State, and now
they are in the attitude of the sons to whom the
| father gave the patrimony and who thereupon
proceeded to turn the old man, neck and heels,
out of doors.
The critic falls foul of the expense of the COM
mission. 1t would probably need two rooms in
some State building at Indianapolis, with pens
| ink and paper, and some chairs and desks or Ia
| hles; but State which can pay an Insane Hos
| pital trustee 5000 year to run his saw-rnill in
| Arkansas, and can hire clerks at the Deaf and
Dumb Institute, and all sorts of people in the
| yards and out-buildings Of the Insane Hospital
| until they fall over each other for the want of
room, can stand these items in trying to find
| better way of doing her work. Local boards are
never paid, nor does this bill provide for such
payment
| There are not four commissioners, as this
writer says, but three to be taken from the
three leading parties, and the third commission
| er will doubtless fall to the Labor party now
forming. They would all be appointed by the
| Governor and could be removed by him for
| cause, of which he must be the judge,
| the only requirement being that he shall state
| his cause. 1t is to be presumed that Governor
| Gray would appoint men who would not violate
their official oaths by running into extravaganza,
| or whom, doing So he would promptly remove.
1t is undoubtedly trae that the Inauguration
| of the system would entail heavy work on the
commission and small expense to the State;
| and in the END the investment would be profit
| able. When President Jackson carried the fed
| eral service into the spoils system the cost of
| collecting the revenue in the New Y ork custom
house rose from Il per cent. under John Quincy
| Adams to 81 per cent. under jackson and Van
| Buren,. Years afterward the competitive sys
tenn was introduced into the New York post
Office by Mr.. James under the direction of Pres
uenL hayes, ana In nv0 years Enat pOSlONlc0 Was
doing onethird more work at $40 600 less annual
expense And so the State of Indiana will, from
| the increased efficiency of her employees, event
ualy find the balance in her favor
The critic then complains that the bill en-
braces too much, and in celebrating his criti-
cism he gives his wit full play. 1t is, however,
stale wit. Examining scrub women hath an
exceedingly familiar sound. The Congressional
| Record and the spoils papers have been full of
this for many years. Now, evidently ad-
hitting the feasibility of examination for skilled
occupations, he means to say that the bill ought
| not to include unskilled labor. | do not accept
his classification. for If any labor ought to be
skilled. certainly cooking for the insane ought,
and such skill can be determined by better test
than to leave it to Dr. Harrison to the Arkan-
. sas saw-Inill man. l put down the critics test
| to the extravaganza of his aforesaid wit, and as
not meant to be taken seriously.
Without drawing any l.ue let Us take the sub
ject of unskilled labor. 1t is one of the essen
, tias of civil-servce reform to take out of every
| kind of public employment every element OF
spoil If Congressman comes back for re
nomination and reelection, he must receive
, either or both on his own merits as a law
maker, and not because he has one or two hun
dred place holders whose bread depends on him
to work for him, right or wrong. And this prin
! ciple must be applied to the most unskilled
labor, so that any laborng man who gets EN-
oyment from the State may not thereby mort
gage his political soul to the DR.. Harrisons ani
the Sim Coys, but may. if he choose, exercise
his undoubted right of voting for his labor can
didate. The standard objection that part,
must have the Offices to keep its organization to
gether, is answered by saying that if party
cannot be- kept together by its principles, thu
sooner it dies the better
The city of Boston hires its common labor or
the following plan: man wanting work need
: not know how to read or write; he must be hon
est of sober and industrious habits, and suffi
= | GENTLY able bodied to do the work for which h
Z applies. He flies certificates to his characte
and his capacity to do the kind of work applie
: | for, signed by two reputable citizens If tn
certificates satisfactory he makes, unde
oath, a statement analogous to the following
T. John Smith, hereby declare that am thirty year
of age; that living at 200 Prince street;
a citizen of the United States; that have depend
ing upon me for support wife and three children
that in the military service of the United State
as private for three years in time of war; that I RI
:, ceived honorable discharge thereform; that wa
last employed by Brown & Co.. as teamster for tw
| years; that was previously employed commo
> laborer on city work; and that am qualified by e,
perience to perform the duties of teamster; that
% not a venler of Intoxicating liquors. or in til
~ habit of using Intoxicating liquors to that
have not been convicted of any offense against tn
laws of the Commonwealth during the year last pas
9; This DONE an investigation follows into tn
1t truth of the facts stated if satisfactory, the
plicant's name goes upon the register. Thre
things give preference, experience in the wor
to be done, service in the army navy in tim
of war, and the number dependent upon the ar
IS plicant for support. These things considered
t. where there are more applicants than work, th
;, question is decided by lot
l am willing to leave it the laboring me
y whether this is not fairer system of distril
N uting public employment than the present on
is of delivering the laborer over to the mercy
the party bosses.
:. Now before the practical politician cries o,
VI that the plan is visionary and will never work
70 desire to set out some facts The Massach
u! setts law was passed by Republican Legisl
~ ture. The Republican Governor said of tn
oe feature:
81 The plan has demonstrated it's success 1t co,
Ut mends itself to the heads of departments by reiev
ne them from the opportunities of personal and polite
friends It commends itself to the worthy applcan
by treating them hnpartially and protecting the
against improper interference when employee
and it commends itself to the citizens and the ia
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